For the Love of Pumpkins and Edward Masen
by Tricks AND Treats Contest
Summary: Halloween never meant much to sixth grader Leah Clearwater. Until a knock on her back door changed everything. Will the Great Pumpkin bring her something extra special this year?


Standard Disclaimer: The author does not own any publicly recognizable entities herein. No copyright infringement is intended.

 **Halloween, 1985**

"We'll be back around eleven." Mama shrugged on her coat with Daddy's help. "Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself?"

I tried not to roll my eyes, knowing she meant well. "I'll be fine, Mama. It won't be my first time home alone."

"But it's Halloween." She frowned in the general direction of the street. "And you know how rowdy these kids get."

"And they know we give out raisins and dental floss." Daddy winked. "She'll be fine."

"I could ask Jacob to come stay with you." Mama turned away to check her reflection. "He wouldn't mind."

I did roll my eyes that time. "Izzy Swan is having a party, Ma. The last thing Jake wants to do tonight is babysit his little cousin."

She looked at me. "You weren't invited?"

"A sixth grader at a high school party? I don't think so."

"And you're sure you'll be okay here alone?"

"I promise. And if I need anything, I'll get Mrs. Cope from next door."

"You'll keep the front door locked?"

"Yes."

"And not open it to strangers?"

"Yes. I mean, no." I smiled. "No, I won't open it to strangers."

"And you'll sit in one spot with your hands folded neatly in your lap and only take bathroom breaks when absolutely necessary?" Daddy asked.

"Harry!"

"What? We are preparing her for a hostage situation, right?"

Mama shooed Daddy out of the way, pulling me in for a hug. "I love you, Leah."

"I love you too, Mama. Have fun."

"Fat chance of that." Daddy adjusted his hat. "These so-called charity events are just glorified pissing contests."

"Honestly, Harry!" Mama swatted Daddy with her purse. "You need to keep it clean."

"That was the clean version." He winked at me. "Have fun, kiddo."

Once the door closed, I locked it behind me and closed the curtain. The revelry outside increased, but there was no sense in making our home look inviting. We didn't celebrate Halloween, and I refused to run to the door every five minutes for the next two hours to greet the same people who wouldn't give me the time of day tomorrow at school.

Let's see how they liked being ignored.

Turning off the living room light, I went upstairs to finish my homework. I would likely be the only one prepared for tomorrow's geography test, but what else was new? After converting the last set of fractions to decimals, I vacuumed the hallway and emptied the dryer, snagging a fresh set of towels for my shower. Clad in my favorite jammies, I flew downstairs in preparation for the only good thing about Halloween.

The Great Pumpkin.

 _A Charlie Brown Christmas_ is the definitive holiday classic, and the Thanksgiving special reminds me of the time we let Daddy make dinner. But _It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown_ was my favorite Peanuts cartoon of all-time. Something about Linus's faith, the way he holds out hope for something good even if no one else can relate...it speaks to me.

I waited impatiently all year for _The Great Pumpkin_ and felt doubly special when it aired on Halloween night. And getting to watch it on the big TV in the den made me feel like a kid on Christmas…which they were already advertising.

Setting the popcorn popper on the kitchen island, I was on my way to grab the jar of kernels when there was a tentative knock on the back door. The outside rabble had stopped knocking on the front door a half hour ago, but no one ever dared come around back.

I wasn't afraid, but I grabbed the broom from the corner before creeping toward the door. Mrs. Cope was a shout away, and Daddy said I had the lungs of a dramatic soprano. I blew out a steadying breath and leaned against the door.

"Who is it?"

"Edward."

My grip on the broom handle tightened but not from fear. "Edward who?"

"Masen." He cleared his throat. "Edward Masen."

"What are you…what are you doing back there? You could have been anyone and…"

"Could you open the door? I hear your voice but can't understand what you're saying."

I looked around the kitchen, searching for a sign of what to do. Edward Masen, Edward-freakin-Masen was at my back door, and I didn't know whether to pass out or punch him. He was one of Them, that crowd of effortlessly popular kids at my school who made my invisibility that much more painful. He was the worst of all because he just moved in across the street at the end of summer and already had more friends than I had in seven years of school, including kindergarten.

And if that weren't enough, my stupid heart had this habit of beating like crazy whenever he was around.

"Leah?" He knocked again. "Are you still there?"

"Yeah. Just...just hold on!"

I ran up to my room and threw on the first presentable top and bottom I could find. Not even in my wildest dreams would I want Edward to see me in my jammies.

Not even my super-cute ones with the prancing ponies.

I smoothed back my hair and flew back to the door, gripping the handle with a steadying breath. Then I had a thought.

"This isn't a trick, is it?" I asked.

"A what?"

"Like, you aren't trying to get me to open the door so you can squirt me in the face with pickle juice or something, are you?"

He sounded offended. "Why would I do that?"

"I don't know. People do ridiculous things sometimes."

"Like have long conversations through a locked door? Come on, Leah. Let me in."

"Put your hands up first."

"My what?"

"Your hands!" I shouted. "Put them up where I can see them."

I stood on tiptoe and looked through the window, amused by the annoyance on his face.

"Is this good enough?" he asked.

"Higher." He shook his head but did so anyway, and I discovered a new favorite game. "Now jump up and down."

"What?"

"Jump up and down, like really hard. I want to make sure there are no weapons in your pockets."

He dropped his hands. "This is stupid."

"You're knocking on my backdoor on the scariest night of the year asking me to let you in. I'd be stupid not to make you do this."

Edward frowned, muttering something I didn't catch, and I thought I went too far. Then to my great astonishment, he raised his hands above his head. "I'm only doing this once," he groused.

I tried to keep the glee from my voice. "I'll take it."

Rolling his eyes, he jumped high and stomped the ground once, hard enough to dislodge the hood from his head. As he fixed his clothes, I opened the door with a smile. "Was that so hard?"

He wasn't amused. "Do you want me to stand on my head too?"

"That won't be necessary."

He shoved his hands in his pockets with a glare, and though I didn't think it possible, he was more adorable than usual when aggravated.

Definitely something to remember in the future.

"Now." I leaned against the doorjamb. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm locked out, and my dad won't be home for another few hours." He frowned. "Why are you holding a broom?"

"It's part of my witch costume." I set the needless broom to the side. "Where's your house key?"

"In my room. I thought it was in my pocket, but this isn't the hoodie I wore to school today."

No, it wasn't. Today's hoodie was heather gray with a white zipper and a faded oil stain on the left pocket.

Or something.

"So you're locked out. Why did you come here?"

He looked away, rubbing his arm. "Because you're the only one home."

 _I knew ignoring Halloween would pay off one day!_ "When is your dad getting back?"

"Whenever that hospital fundraiser is over. Aren't your parents there too?"

I nodded, trying not to be flattered that he knew. "And I promised them I wouldn't open my door to strangers."

"But I'm not a stranger. I live over there and sit three rows behind you in Mr. Varner's class." He snapped his fingers as if remembering something. "And while I'm here, we can study for that geography test."

"I did that already."

"Of course you did. Forgot who I was talking to." It sounded like a compliment, so I hid my blush as he looked at his watch. "Could you just let me in? I think Halloween is for babies, but Charlie Brown is about to come on, and I…"

"Charlie Brown?"

"You know, Linus and the Great Pumpkin _._ Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because I…" _think I'm going to pass out._ "...forgot that was on tonight."

"Well, it is. And I don't want to miss it. Let me in now, and I'll leave when it's over. Okay?"

I didn't trust myself to speak, so I stepped aside, inviting him in with a sweep of my hand.

"Thanks." He was shivering. "It was getting cold out."

"Where's your jacket? Wait, let me guess. In your room."

"I was only going out for a second. Didn't think I'd need it."

I closed the door behind him, and it sounded like a thunderclap in the silence.

"We can go in the den, if that's cool," I said.

"Yeah, that's cool."

I let him go in first, wanting to make sure this was real. If I were dreaming and I went first, he might turn into a boil-covered behemoth when I turned around. But if I kept my eyes on him, maybe he wouldn't morph into something wild and crazy.

Having this beautiful boy in my house when my parents weren't home was wild and crazy enough. My diary will never believe this!

"Sit wherever you want." I clicked on the television. "I think this is the right channel. And if it's up too loud, the remote is right there."

"Thanks." He unzipped his hoodie. "Where are you going?"

"I, uh…I was about to make some popcorn."

"I'll come too." He tossed the red hoodie onto the sofa, knighting it my new favorite spot in the entire universe. "If that's cool."

"Yeah." I returned his small smile. "That's cool."

Now certain he wouldn't evaporate, I led Edward back to the kitchen. Retrieving the popcorn jar from the pantry, I plugged up the popper and grabbed a measuring cup.

"Nice kitchen." He glanced around at the curtains and dish towels. "Very…homey."

"Thanks." I poured the kernels into the top of the air popper. "Mama likes anything with roses on them."

"Do you? Like roses, I mean."

"No. I mean, I don't know. I'm not really into flowers, so I've never thought about it." I flipped on the popper. "Do you like roses?"

"Nah. I'm a gardenia man myself." I looked at him in confusion, and he laughed. "You should see your face! Like I know what a gardenia is."

"Maybe you do. Nothing wrong with a boy who likes flowers."

"Excuse you. I am a man."

"Right. A man who locked himself out of the house."

Instead of replying, he strolled toward my fridge with his hands behind his back. Ignoring the magnets and take-out menus, he bent to inspect a photo. "Where was this one taken?"

I cringed. "My uncle's wedding."

"And you were a…"

"I was the flower girl."

"Carrying a basket of orange daisies, of course you were." He leaned forward and squinted. "Are those green polka dots?"

I could have died. "Yes."

"On an orange dress?"

"Yes."

"With one…two…three…four…"

"Nine layers of polka-dotted tulle beneath the skirt? Yes."

He glanced at me. "The cape is a nice touch."

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up and get a big bowl from the cabinet above the sink."

He stood on tiptoe to get it, and as his shirt rose in the back, I turned my head. If I got a peek at Edward Masen's Fruit of the Looms, I would pass out.

And have to clean up the popcorn before Mama and Daddy got back.

After I safely corralled the popcorn into the bowl, He carried it to the den while I grabbed napkins and YooHoos. My hands sweated with the notion of sharing a sofa with him, but to my immense relief, Edward copped a squat on the floor. I sat on the other side of the bowl, leaning against the back of the couch.

"Do you need to let your dad know you're here?"

"Nah."

"Won't he be worried when he gets home and you aren't there?"

"Does it matter?"

It did to me, but he was scowling again and not in the adorable way. "I guess not." I stopped short of asking about his mother, instinct steering me away from the subject.

He grabbed a yellow can, popping the top noisily. "What about you? You never did call your parents."

"As long as you don't steal anything, we should be good."

"Guess I should put back that rose-covered potholder." I gaped at him, and he laughed. "You're so easy to annoy."

"Because you're so annoying." The screen faded to black, and I opened my own can. "Now, hush. I've been waiting all year for this."

I felt him smiling beside me. "I thought you forgot this was on."

"I thought I said hush."

As the opening strings to "Linus and Lucy" filled the room, we leaned toward the screen. Before long, Edward was rocking where he sat, his movements in perfect time with the music. I wanted to comment, but the moment was too precious to disturb. So I grabbed a fistful of popcorn and pretended not to notice.

"Every time Lucy stabs that pumpkin, a little part of me dies," I said after a minute. "Poor Linus."

"She's the reason I'm glad to be an only child," he said.

"Me too. Though I think it'd be nice to have a sibling sometimes."

"Would you want a brother?"

"A sister. Boys are nothing but trouble. No offense."

He smirked. "Where's that pickle juice when I need it?"

We fell into an easy silence, amused by the Peanuts gang's shenanigans. Though it wasn't a Christian holiday, I would certainly thank God for Halloween in tonight's prayers.

And for locked doors and forgotten keys.

"Pumpkin?"

"Yes?" My cheeks flamed, and I cleared my throat. "I mean, um, what?"

He didn't appear to hear my first (and stupid) response as he pulled something from his pocket. "You want some pumpkins?"

I stared at the Brach's bag. "Where'd you get those?"

"The pharmacy. That's why I ran out of the house in the wrong hoodie." He opened the bag with his teeth, and I couldn't stop my gaze from dropping to his mouth. "Dad forgot them, and the store was closing soon, but I couldn't watch _The Great Pumpkin_ without my pumpkins."

His cheeks pinked as he spoke, and I realized he was embarrassed. Which was officially the cutest thing I'd ever seen. "Open that drawer next to the couch," I said.

"Huh?"

I pointed to the end table. "The top drawer. Open it."

He pulled on the handle and peeked inside. "Candy corn!"

"The Great Pumpkin leaves it every year. Want some?"

He nodded and put my bag to his mouth. I looked away, afraid I'd turn into a pile of orange goo, and tried to form a sentence. "What, um…what show comes on after this?"

"Some new Garfield cartoon." He took some candy corn and set the bag beside me. "I wasn't going to watch it though."

"Right." I refused to be sad. "Me either."

"But Scooby Doo comes on NBC at 8:30." He had a handful of pumpkins. "Can I stay for that?"

His palm ghosted over mine as he set the candy in my hand, and I think I stopped breathing.

"Yeah. You can stay for that."

"Cool."

And as Edward settled into his spot in my den, my stupid heart hoped he'd want to stay forever.

 **Halloween, 1987**

"Leah, you look totally awesome!" Kate said.

"I don't know. It's too…"

"Stop." She hugged me from behind. "You're perfect, and we're going to have a ball tonight."

I sighed. "And we don't?"

"Then we'll come home and stuff our faces with candy until we pass out."

"Girls?" Mama called from downstairs. "It's time to go."

Kate held up a pinky. "Deal?"

I could never say no to her. "Deal."

We suffered through the obligatory pictures—thankfully, Daddy capped Mama at ten—and headed off to the dance. It was being held at school, and my parents let us walk since it was only a few blocks away.

"Do you think Garrett will be there?" Kate asked. "I so hope he'll be there!"

"I don't know." I fidgeted with my hemline. "And these dresses are too short."

Kate slapped my hand. "Duh, that's why we're wearing tights." She looped her arm through mine. "You know, if Garrett is there, then someone else will probably be there too."

My mocha brown face turned red. "I don't know who you mean."

"Oh, come on!" Kate bumped my shoulder. "You're still gonna pretend you don't have a thing for Ace?"

I snorted and turned my head. "I don't know anyone by that name."

"Fine. Edward Anthony Masen, eighth grader extraordinaire." She played with her faux pearl necklace. "Is that better?"

"Anything is better than 'Ace.'" I detested that nickname. "But whatever you call him, I don't have a thing for him. I just…"

"What?"

I hated admitting this aloud. "I just miss him on Halloween, that's all."

"I know." Kate took my hand. "I'm sorry, sweet pea."

"It's cool. Now tell me what Garrett said to you in homeroom yesterday. Start from the moment he sat behind you."

While Kate rehashed every detail of her 90-second conversation with Garrett, I reminded myself once more of where things really stood between Edward and me. No matter how magical that Halloween night was, no matter how many times he smiled or laughed or touched my hand when we reached for popcorn at the same time, it was one night two years ago, and nothing even close to it had happened since.

As it turned out, nothing actually happened then either.

When Scooby Doo went off, Edward remembered his father had hidden a spare key in a faux rock beside the mailbox. He came to his feet, thanked me for the popcorn, and left.

I still had the empty bag of pumpkins in the bottom of my underwear drawer.

He was civil to me at school, even talked to me in the hall sometimes. But we never became close friends or spoke about Halloween again.

I just played the whole thing on a loop every night, wondering if it was a dream.

"We're here!" Kate squealed. Somehow we'd arrived at school, and Kate turned to me with the full wattage of her smile. "Let's go!"

We turned in our tickets and headed inside as Madonna begged her Papa not to preach. As Kate and I entered the gym, my eyes widened to take everything in. There were balloons and streamers everywhere, their black and orange hues broadcasting the occasion. Giant cobwebs covered the basketball hoops at either end of the room, and paper witches, mummies, and goblins were splattered on the wall.

It was awesomely awful and awfully awesome.

"Look!" Kate pulled me toward a table of frosted sugar cookies. "My mom made these!"

"They look just like jack-o-lanterns." I grabbed a handful. "This is why I love your mom."

"And look!" She pointed at the bubbling orange punch in the black cauldron in the center of each table. "Are those floating eyeballs?"

"Eww!" I shivered all over. "So gross."

Kate filled two cups with punch—omitting the eyeballs from mine—and found us a spot on the wall to hold up. Neither of us wanted to dance yet, but we had no problem watching other people. Our science teacher doing the Sprinkler with the school nurse while Principal Volturi did the Cabbage Patch.

And the custodian? We didn't have words for what he was doing.

"I think that's the Worm." Kate tilted her head. "With a little Robot thrown in."

"Whatever it is, he should never do that again."

We spent the first few songs in our chosen spot, whispering silly nothings only the two of us would find funny. Kate was the constant spark in my otherwise quiet life, and I would never stop thanking her mother for opening a bakery in town last year. I was there on opening day and ate half a blueberry pie in one sitting. Kate came over with a bottle of Tropical Tums and became my best friend.

When a new beat dropped, Kate and I gaped at each other, jumping up and down.

"Oh, my gawd!" Kate dragged me toward the floor. "Come on!"

I wasn't the best dancer, but there was no sitting this song out. Daddy bought me this album for my birthday, and Kate and I spent many nights with hairbrushes in hand, serenading my mirror with our whole hearts. We settled in near the outer edge of the dance floor but were close enough to feel like part of the crowd.

Kate laid a hand against her heart and started the first verse:

" _Clock strikes upon the hour, and the sun begins to fade_

 _Still enough time to figure out how to chase my blues away."_

She pointed at me, and I lifted an invisible mike to my mouth.

" _I've done all right up till now._

 _It's the light of day that shows me how._

 _But when the night falls, loneliness calls."_

We belted out the chorus with the crowd, dancing like happy fools.

" _Ohhh, I wanna dance with somebody!_

 _I wanna feel the heat with somebody!_

 _Yeahhhh, I wanna dance with somebody,_

 _With somebody who loves me!"_

I wouldn't admit to thinking about anyone in particular, but a pair of emerald green eyes lingered behind my lids every time I reached the chorus. If Kate's dreamy smile were any indication, she also had a certain cutie on her mind.

So when we turned around to find Edward and Garrett leaning against the wall and watching us, our shock and delight bubbled over.

She grabbed my hands, crushing my poor fingers. "Oh, my gawd, Leah. Oh, my gawd!"

"I know!" Somehow we kept moving, but our minds were gone. "Should we go over there?"

Kate put on her plotting cap, a slow smile brightening her face. "No. Let's get them over here."

"How?"

"Are you listening?" She softened her grip. "All we have to do is keep dancing."

At my confused expression, she picked up the song again:

" _I need a man who'll take a chance_

 _On a love that burns hot enough to last_

 _So when the night falls, my lonely heart calls."_

She gestured with the lyrics, keeping her eyes on me. All of a sudden, everything made sense.

"My girl!" I hugged Kate, squealing in her ear. "You are a genius!"

"I know! Now keep going before the song ends."

Following Whitney's lead, Kate and I danced and mimed our deepest desires in the general direction of Garrett and Edward, neither of us having the heart to see if her plan was working. By the time we reached the last refrain, Kate and I were singing at the top of our lovesick lungs:

" _Don'tcha wanna dance?_

 _Say you wanna dance_

 _Don'tcha wanna dance?_

 _Don'tcha wanna dance?_

 _Say you wanna dance_

 _Don'tcha wanna dance?"_

She twirled me around, and I was so busy laughing, I didn't realize I'd crashed into someone.

Into a green-eyed dreamboat, to be exact.

"Hi!" I was too giddy to be embarrassed. "Do you wanna dance?"

He caught me at the waist, laughing. "Why don't we steady you first?"

"Okay!" I looked over my shoulder and spotted Kate in a similar predicament. "Hi, Garrett!"

He waved at me, and Kate's mouth formed a perfect 'oh' of shock as Garrett took her hands.

In the interim, Whitney's love-fueled anthem had faded into a new tune, and I blushed to my roots as my mind sped ahead to the chorus.

" _Oooh, baby. I think I love you from head to toe."_

The high from my performance with Kate was fading fast, and I scrambled for an excuse to bolt.

Until I realized Edward's hands were still on my waist.

I looked into his eyes, and the whole world could have exploded, and I wouldn't have noticed. He was perfect as ever, and he was here.

With me.

In public.

With his hands.

On me.

I could have died a happy camper right then and there.

"You still want that dance?" he asked.

I would later blame it on that weird punch if necessary, but some mysterious force gave me the courage to lean in. "If you think you can keep up."

He chuckled, though the sound was deeper than normal. "Oh, I'll keep up, Ms. Clearwater. Believe me."

And keep up he did.

For the next six songs, Edward matched me move for move. No matter how silly or off-beat my gyrations, he hung in there, even teaching me some sort of moonwalk-MC Hammer hybrid.

By the time the DJ decided to slow it down, my ponytail was droopy, and I was pretty sure I'd lost ten pounds to sweat. Edward also looked worse for the wear, though his 'worse' beat the average guy's 'best' by a thousand miles.

"I'm about to pass out." He fanned himself. "You wanna get some air?"

"Sounds good. I just need some punch first."

"I'll get it. Wait for me by the stone bench." He paused, looking away. "I mean, if that's cool."

My whole life lit up. "Yeah. That's cool."

He smiled. "Cool."

I floated toward the exit, sparing Kate a hearty thumbs-up where she sat with Garrett in the orange chairs along the wall. I noticed a few girls staring at me in confusion as I passed through the crowd, and I knew why.

And wanted to stick out my tongue at each of them.

Edward spent the entire time with me. Not Jessica with her low-cut, filled-out sweaters or Jane with her short shorts and long legs from here to the moon. Me! If I didn't think anyone would notice, I would stand on the bench and kick up my heels.

This night couldn't have gone better had it been scripted.

Of course, if the night were scripted, some cruel writer might have decided to throw a wrench in the shy-but-sweet protagonist's dream. That might explain the obnoxious clang of the fire alarm and the sound of shrieking teens pouring from the building in every direction.

The commotion startled me back to reality, and I climbed atop the bench to see over the crowd, spotting Principal Volturi and his infamous megaphone.

"This is not a drill!" he shouted. "I repeat: this is not a drill! Everyone line up single-file in your assigned spots! This is not a time for panic! This is a time to perform in real-time what we've been practicing since the…Mr. Newton, what are you doing with that blow torch? Get back here right now!"

Principal Volturi dropped the megaphone to chase Mike around the back of the building, and I used the opportunity and my perch on the bench to look for Edward. The great exodus was still in effect, but I refused to move. He said he'd meet me here, and I believed him. But even after the crowd thinned and only the kids whose parents chaperoned remained, he didn't appear.

I stepped down from the bench as Kate emerged from a side exit. "Leah! Thank God you're still here."

"I'd never leave without you." I forced a smile. "I wonder who pulled the alarm."

"Whoever it was ruined everything! I think Garrett was about to ask me out."

"Oh, my gawd!"

"I know! But when the alarm got pulled, he disappeared." We linked arms and proceeded down the street. "Sooo…what happened with you and Edward? I saw you guys out there looking like well-dressed rejects from Soul Train."

"Ha-ha." She eyed me for more details, and I sighed. "Yeah, he was…great as always. But he got ghost after the fire alarm."

"Same as Garrett." Kate caught my tone and patted my hand. "I'm sure this won't turn out like last time, Sweets."

I was too sad to argue with her, so we walked to my house in melancholy silence. Before my mom could ask why we were home so early, Kate said she had a headache and wanted to go home.

She really was the best friend a girl could have.

We hugged goodbye, and my parents headed out, promising to be back soon. When I heard tires on the gravel driveway, I yanked the neon scrunchie out of my hair and threw it across the room. With any luck, I'd be asleep before my parents got back so I wouldn't have to answer any more questions about tonight.

My second Halloween night with and without Edward Masen.

The loud knock at the front door gave me a fright, and I considered pretending I wasn't home. Then I realized Kate left her overnight bag upstairs and would probably need it this weekend.

"Hold on, Kate." I trudged to the door. "I'll go get your bag and give you back your…"

The words died on my lips when I saw Edward on my front step. When I didn't speak, he shook his head with a smile. "You still like talking through the door, I see." He frowned at my continued silence. "Are you okay?"

"Yes." I blinked back to life, trying to process what was happening. "I, um, I thought you were Kate."

"Nope." He popped the 'p,' rocking on his heels. "You took your hair down."

"I was about to turn in." I hastily combed my fingers through it, hoping it didn't resemble a haystack. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh." He palmed the back of his neck, which was turning red. "When the fire alarm got pulled, I went out the back door to…"

"The back door?"

"Yeah, to the stone benches by the teachers' parking lot."

" _Those_ benches!" I palmed my forehead. "I was out front by the flagpole."

"So that's why I didn't see you! I should have been more specific."

I didn't reply, still trying to believe this was real, and he cleared his throat. "Anyway, I figured you'd come home eventually, and here you are. Which is good because, um, you forgot something at the dance."

"I did?" I looked down at my outfit, seeing nothing amiss. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. But if you want it, you have to close your eyes and hold out your hands."

I raised a brow. "You're not going to squirt me with pickle juice, are you?"

He chuckled, and the sound warmed me from head to toe. "I might, but not tonight. Now close those eyes."

Something in his gentle command made me shiver, and my eyes fluttered shut. I cupped my palms in front of me and soon felt something solid and small in them.

"Ta-da," he said softly.

I opened my eyes to find a tight bundle of candy corn and mini pumpkins in orange cellophane tied with a black bow.

I looked at Edward in delight. "Did you make this?"

"Just in case The Great Pumpkin forgot." He looked away. "It's been two years since we've seen him at the same time, so I didn't know if…"

"You…" I couldn't even form words. "You remember?"

"Of course I remember."

"But you never said or did anything to…" I rolled my eyes, annoyed at myself. "Gawd, Leah. Way to ruin it."

"You didn't ruin anything." He seemed to come closer. "But I hope I haven't either."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, it's been two years. And I haven't exactly been beating down your door. And I don't even have a good reason why not. I just didn't know if I…"

My hand seemed to shoot out on its own, wanting to reassure him. The contact startled us both, and the heat from his bare wrist snaked up my arm, making me shiver as I spoke again.

"You could never ruin anything. Not for me. I…Edward, this is the sweetest thing anyone has ever given me."

"Really?" His soft expression changed, and he took my hand in his as he stepped closer. "That's a shame."

I felt dizzy as his green gaze dropped to my mouth. "Is it?"

"Yes. Because I'm kinda hoping this is." He dipped his head. "If that's cool."

I leaned in, my precious pumpkins all but forgotten. "Yeah, that's cool."


End file.
